Coronavirus could give rise to dictators – Jonathan warns

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Friday advised Africans to be careful the way they handle coronavirus pandemic, noting that the virus could give rise to dictators.

Disclosing this while speaking during a webinar organised by the Kofi Annan Foundation, Jonathan said: “This is the time that many continental bodies must come up with their own minimum standards for any country going into election to operate.

“Otherwise people who ordinarily would have loved to be dictators will now exploit the problem of the COVID-19 pandemic and do what is not in line with the laws of the land.”

Speaking further, Jonathan mentioned one positive thing’ in Nigeria’s COVID-19 response. According to him as cited by TheCable, “In Nigeria, I have seen one thing about the management of the COVID-19 which is also positive,” he said.

“We’ve seen the role played by the state governments, and some of the state governments are even looking post-COVID-19 era the economy of their people. “And I have seen what could be described as the devolution of powers with the governors.”